TIA’s advocacy program has become a powerful voice in promoting and protecting the toy industry in Washington, D.C. The industry’s political action committee, TOYPAC, is one of our most vital advocacy tools and needs to be further strengthened leading up to the important 2014 elections. To encourage member participation in TOYPAC fundraising, we’re holding two exciting raffle drawings this spring that could award you floor space and travel reimbursement during Toy Fair 2015, or a trip to a destination of your choice in the U.S.!

PACs are very common tools used by associations and corporations to help advance educational and policy messages to lawmakers. TOYPAC allows us to collect voluntary personal contributions from salaried exempt employees of TIA’s member companies, combine these funds into a more substantial amount, and make contributions to support key legislators. Since its formation, TOYPAC has provided bipartisan financial support to Members of Congress in both the Republican and Democratic parties through a transparent process.

As this year’s midterm election cycle gets underway, we’ve set an ambitious fundraising goal of $30,000 to assure the continuation of our industry’s effective presence in the political arena. In the past, a majority of TOYPAC’s funds have been raised by TIA’s Board of Directors and TIA senior staff. To reach this new dollar target, however, we need the assistance of many more TIA members.

Please help us reach our fundraising goal for this critical industry program. A PAC that is well-supported conveys a unified perspective on public policy issues, and provides TIA staff with additional opportunities to advocate on behalf of the entire industry. The first step in this process, mandated by federal regulations, is for each member company to complete a Prior Approval Form that lets us continue the dialog about the PAC with you and your executives.

Visit the TIA website to learn more about the TOYPAC raffle prize packages and how you can enter to win.